Day 2 of Dutch Visit to Japan

Posted on October 30, 2014 by Royal Hats

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands continued the second day of the tour of Japan, meeeting with to the Dutch Ambassador and attending lunch at the Imperial Palace. Queen Máxima repeated her purple ‘slice’ picture hat. I still adore the shape of this hat and the colour blocking with her teal peplum dress works well. When it comes to bold colour, I’m not sure there is a royal out there today who does it better than Máxima. Next week, we’re take a peek at the other outfits Queen Máxima has paired with this hat and pick our favourite.

Queen Máxima, October 30, 2014 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvinge
Previously Worn: October 15, 2014; March 19, 2014; November 12, 2013

From saturated colour to near lack of it… Crown Princess Masako wore a creamy pink silk bumper hat that coordinated with her silk suit. While I wish the hat was more exciting and that there was a little more colour in Masako’s ensemble besides her dusty rose silk handbag (which is adorable), it is so good to see her looking so well that her clothing really doesn’t matter.

Crown Princess Masako, October 30, 2014 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: July 14, 2014; November 6, 2013

What do you think of this pair of royal hats today in Tokyo?

Photos from Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun via Getty

Dutch Monarchs Arrive in Japan

Posted on October 29, 2014 by Royal Hats

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands arrived in Tokyo today for the start of a four day tour of Japan. They were officially welcomed by the Japanese royal family in a formal ceremony at the Imperial Palace. Queen Máxima wore a new hat for this arrival in the same golden orange silk as her tea dress.

Dutch State Visit to Japan, October 29, 2014 | Royal Hats

My initial impression of this piece was that it looked fine on Máxima (particularly combined with her hairstyle) and that the pleating in the hat was a great match to the pleated bodice of the dress. My only qualm was that it was a little too much orange for a single ensemble…

Queen Máxima, October 29, 2014 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

… until I saw it from the back. Like Queen Mathilde’s ringed hat yesterday, I know this open crowned design is Fabienne Delvigne’s way of keeping this piece light and airy. Looking at this headpiece, however, the only words that come to mind are “pumpkin doughnut”.

Queen Máxima, October 29, 2014 in Fabienne Delvigne | Royal Hats

Designer: Fabienne Delvigne
Previously Worn: This is a new hat

Empress Michiko also debuted a new hat. In a large saucer shape, this white hat was trimmed in a bow which coordinated with her black and caramel jacket. I might have preferred this hat in a different colour (it would have been beautiful in the same caramel as her lapel) as the white makes a very stark contrast with the Empress’ black ensemble but this white-hat-with-coordinating-bow is one of her millinery go-to formulas.

Queen Máxima and Empress Michiko, October 29, 2014 | Royal Hats

Designer: My guess is Akio Hirata
Previously Worn: I believe this is a new hat

The big surprise of the day was the appearance of Crown Princess Masako, who has not attended a state welcome for visiting guests since 2009. Masako paid homage to the House of Orange-Nassau in a suit and hat of the same hue. Her hat, an unembellished bumper, is not a particularly memorable hat but it was so wonderful to see her (and the obvious affection she shares with Queen Máxima) that she could have had a paper bag on her head today and it would have been all right with me.

Dutch State Visit to Japan, October 29, 2014 | Royal Hats Crown Princess Masako, October 29, 2014 | Royal Hats

Designer: unknown
Previously Worn: I believe this is a new hat

The first day of the Dutch King and Queen’s tour of Japan did not hit many millinery high notes but I suppose that means things can only improve from here. What did you think of this trio of royal hats today in Japan?

Photos from Asahi Shimbun via Getty; Albert Nieboer, Patrick van Katwijk, Patrick van Katwijk, Albert Nieboer and Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Asahi Shimbun via Getty: Patrick van Katwijk via Corbis; Asahi Shimbun and Asahi Shimbun via Getty

Princess Hisako Attends Conference

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Royal Hats

Princess Hisako of Takamado visited Oita yesterday to attend the 26th National Conference on aerial environment. For this conference (marvelously named “Towns under the Starry Sky, Towns under the Blue Sky”), Princess Hisako debuted a new olive green bumper hat. While the trim on this hat – an olive and dusty rose striped sash around the crown and a dusty rose bloom on the side – had a rather old fashioned, Victorian feel, it provided much needed focus and a point of brightness to Hisako’s monochrome ensemble. I think this vintage-feeling hat is quirky but rather sweet – what words come to your mind to describe this hat?

Princess Hisako, October 26, 2014 | Royal Hats

Photo from Asahi Shimbun

80th Birthday of Empress Michiko

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Royal Hats

Royal Hats Empress of Michiko of Japan celebrated her 80th birthday earlier this week, a milestone which provides us a wonderful opportunity to look back through her history of interesting hats. Click on any of the photos below to link with the photo’s original source (which usually includes the date the photo was taken and a larger version of the photo).

Michiko Shōda was born in Tokyo on October 20, 1934 and married Crown Prince Akihito (as was his title at the time) in 1959. The first period of her millinery style, through the 1960s and 1970s, certainly reflected the fashion of the day.

The next period in Michiko’s millinery style began when she started working with Japanese milliner Akio Hirata. As Hirata provided hats for Michiko in the shapes popular in 1980s fashion, the hat style that we all now associate with the Empress began to emerge.

When Akihito and Michiko became Emperor and Empress of Japan in 1990, Michiko’s distinctive hat style was well established. During her first decade as Empress, flowers were the dominant motif embellishing Michiko’s hats and there was much play with colour.

Since 2000, we have seen another type of trim on Empress Michiko’s hats in a series of origami inspired bows and folded embellishments.

I can’t think of a contemporary royal who has such a consistent and distinctive personal millinery style. While it might not appeal to everyone, we can probably all agree that it is elegant, refined and perhaps even a little quirky in its own way. What I appreciate about Michiko’s millinery style is that it appears to both balance and reflect her royal status, her quiet personality and her culture, three things that I suspect might be difficult to do with one’s hat.

I am curious to hear your thoughts on Empress Michiko’s history of hats, dear readers. Are there any in particular that you would claim for your own closet? Are you warming to Michiko’s petite saucers, pillboxes and percher hats?

The Empress released an interview about her life earlier this week- you can read the English translation here. Her words are thoughtful and give profound insight into her royal life- I highly recommend it.

Princess Yoko Visits Toyama

Posted on October 17, 2014 by Royal Hats

Princess Yoko of Mikasa was in Toyama for a series of engagements yesterday. She began in Oyabe City, presenting the awards from the 16th Welfare Golf Tournament in the same black bowler hat with jade bow that we saw her wear last weekend in Osaka. Later in the day, she changed into a smart navy fedora with cream band around the crown to visit a program for disabled adults in Takaoka City. Doesn’t the fedora look great on her?

Princess Yoko, October 16, 2014 | Royal Hats

Photos from The Imperial Family of Japan

Royal Hats

The Bold, Beautiful and Bizarre World of Royal Millinery

Category Archives: Japan